1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carrying and stacking cases of the type generally used for storage and transportation of beverage bottles, especially beer bottles. In particular, the present invention relates to such cases that are equipped with lids or covers.
2. State of the Prior Art
Cases of the foregoing type equipped with covers are in common use. Many are produced by molding in a single operation from a suitable high impact plastic, such a polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and the like.
In use it is often desirable to close the top of the cases. Closable containers protect bottled products from light, dirt and dust, the impact of objects that might fall onto the cover, and may facilitate stacking the cases, depending on the design of the case and lid.
The prior art illustrates several methods of hingeably attaching a cover or lid to a case. It is, for example, well known to construct such a case from cardboard wherein the fold in the cardboard along the edge of the case serves as a hinge. Cases of this type are subject to rapid deterioration due to the repeated bending of the cardboard hinge. In addition, they are susceptible to damage from water. As indicated above, various plastics have gained widespread acceptance in the manufacture of beverage bottle cases. Suitably attaching a hinged lid to such cases, however, presents difficulties that have not been altogether overcome by the prior art. Crate, (Canadian Pat. No. 703,687) for example, teaches a two-piece lid with a series of pivot shaft 13 constructed of metal held in place by shaft supports 14 which may be mounted on either the case or the lid. The other half of the hinge comprises two types of pivot shaft engaging means 15, 17 which enable the lid to be readily snap-fitted onto, or removed from, the case. This construction suffers from the disadvantage that it requires two different materials, and therefore cannot be manufactured in one step. In addition, the pivot shaft may be subject to corrosion, which shortens the life of the case, and may impede operation of the hinge. Second, the hinge is positioned exactly along the top edge of the case an protrudes above the body of the case. In this position the hinge, which is probably the weakest portion of the structure, is directly exposed to the weight of cases that may be stacked on it, and to the impact that may result when the cases accidentally bump into another object. In addition, the hinge and the individual pivot shaft engaging means are the weakest portions of the entire structure and are accordingly most susceptible to breakage and damage.
Other prior art, for example, Dreyfuss, U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,796, and Boysen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,082, provide hinge pintles integral with the cover element that engage in pintle receiving spots. In Boysen, the cover 11 is permanently attached and cannot be removed without damaging the cover and the case. Thus if either member of the unit is damaged, the entire unit must be discarded. In addition, Boysen requires a hollow-spaced double wall as a housing for its hinge. Dreyfuss provides hinges 84 at the bottom of the case. This construction limits the strength of the joint between the bottom wall and hinged sidewall to the strength of the hinge pintles. When cases are stacked, it is this joint that should be strongest. The hinge of Dreyfuss is not readily adaptable to being repositioned along the top of a vertical wall.